If Things Were Different: CCS
by Nate Grey
Summary: A collection of various stories, each taking a What If approach to the CCS universe.
1. The Judge

Author's Note: This is an experiment of sorts. I'm taking a "What If?" approach toward some of my favorite animes. Sakura & Co. are my first victims…er…subjects. Each anime will get its own share of stories, depending on how many different approaches I can come up with and make interesting. Tentatively, there are only two in this series, but I'm still pondering over stuff, so you never know. Outlaw Star will be the next anime I attempt, since I've got so many ideas that I didn't work into Cupid Chronicles (amazing as THAT may seem).  
  
  
  
If Things Were Different: A Card Captor Sakura AU Fanfic Series  
  
Story 1: The Judge  
  
Summary: What if the Judge was Yue…but Yue was not Yukito…  
  
  
  
I'm officially worried now.  
  
It's well after midnight and she still isn't back. I've tried calling Yuki already, and now that he's out looking for her, I have no one to talk to. No one to reassure me that she'll be fine. No one to tell me that she's a big girl now.  
  
She's done this before, of course. I've learned to accept that what she's doing is important, either to her or everyone, whether they know it or not, and that she has to do it. But that hardly makes the waiting any easier.  
  
Sometimes I sit in her room and stare out of the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her and ease my troubled mind. She wears such peculiar costumes most of the time, so it's impossible not to recognize her immediately. Occasionally, she is alone, but most of the time, that little flying, talking pet of hers is with her. Lately, though, she's been relying on…others…to bring her home.  
  
The huge lion with wings.  
  
The angel (male, of course; female would be too convenient) with eyes of cold silver.  
  
The Chinese gaki, who always carries her with such…care.  
  
I've been very careful. The instant I see her (or them) returning, I slip out of her room and shut the door behind me. I will admit to having fallen asleep on her bed a few times, though. Each time, I woke up the next morning to find her sitting on my chest, smiling down at me. "I love you, too, onii-chan," she'd say in that sweet but annoying voice I can't stand, "but I think you'd be better off in your own bed." She's right, too. I always get cramps in my legs later on.  
  
But this night is different. I can…feel it. Something is wrong. I need to know what.  
  
The smart thing to do would be to stay here, in case she comes home. But I'm tired of waiting already, and if tousan comes to check on her during the night…  
  
I have to find her. Now.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Are you sure about this, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, lowering her camera for a moment.  
  
"Hai, I think so." Sakura nodded and began to sign her name to the final Card.  
  
Syaoran watched closely, taking a deep breath as she finished. "Get ready."  
  
"Nani?" Sakura asked.  
  
"The Final Judgement," Keroberos said quietly.  
  
Sakura was about to speak when a cold wind suddenly hit her. She shivered and pulled her pink cloak tighter around her shoulders.  
  
"I do hope you're ready, Sakura-chan," a voice said quietly.  
  
Syaoran's eyes narrowed as he turned to the speaker. "I knew it!" he muttered.  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. "Mizuki-sensei? What are you doing here?"  
  
Suddenly, the wind picked up, and then literally picked up Sakura, tossing her about like a rag doll.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried, trying to reach her friend.  
  
Syaoran tried to control the wind with a spell, but it was no use.  
  
Sakura turned sharply, and she could see herself heading for the ground. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to brace herself for the impact, hoping it would only hurt for a few seconds.  
  
But the hurt never came as strong…familiar?…arms wrapped around her. She could feel herself tumbling, being pressed into someone's—some boy's, she realized—chest, heaving with obvious effort and fatigue. Finally, the world stopped spinning, and Sakura dared to open her eyes.  
  
She gasped as she instantly recognized the face leaning over hers. "Onii- chan?" she whispered, blinking slowly.  
  
Touya finally managed to catch his breath (Sakura noticed the wheels on his hastily discarded bike were still spinning like mad) and swallowed. "Are you all right, imouto?"  
  
Sakura could only nod, her eyes still showing surprise. She couldn't remember the last time Touya had actually called her that, instead of just "kaijuu." Not that she was complaining, but it seemed so…strange.  
  
"Touya-kun. I'm glad you finally made it," Mizuki said.  
  
Touya's head snapped up. "Kaho-san?!"  
  
She smiled and reached out to him. "Come forth, koishii."  
  
Touya frowned. "That was a long time ago, Ka-" He trailed off, his eyes drifting shut.  
  
"Onii-chan?" Sakura asked, feeling a strange power flowing through him as he released her. "What is it? What's wrong?"  
  
Touya didn't answer her. His body floated into the air and took on a bright, celestial glow. And then, without warning, two huge wings sprouted from his back and slowly wrapped around him, hiding him from view.  
  
Keroberos frowned as he looked on. "Yue…"  
  
The light began to fade, and the wings parted, but Touya was gone. In his place stood Yue.  
  
Sakura eventually found her voice. "O…onii-chan?"  
  
Yue's gaze landed on her. "I am Yue, the Judge. The Final Judgement will begin now."  
  
"No…NO!" Sakura cried, running up to Yue and grabbing his robes. "Bring back onii-chan right now! You bring him back!"  
  
"Sakura, DON'T!" Keroberos shouted, racing to stop her.  
  
Sakura was knocked away by an unseen force. She slowly got to her feet, her eyes filling with tears. "Onii-chan…please…give him back to me…"  
  
Yue ignored her plea. "Who will be judged?"  
  
Syaoran gently but quickly pulled Sakura to her feet. "We will."  
  
Yue looked at them as if they were bugs. "Pathetic. Neither of you have all of the Cards. How can you expect to pass the Judgement?"  
  
"By working together," Syaoran replied.  
  
"Impossible. Only one may be judged at a time…and you are first, Syaoran Li. It is both your right and your duty as a descendant of Clow Reed." Yue's eyes seemed to glow.  
  
A bright blue aura surrounded Syaoran just before he and Yue flew into the air.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura cried, reaching for him. "Come back!"  
  
"I can't!" Syaoran shouted. "Get ready, Sakura! He'll come for you next!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yue and Syaoran landed on a nearby rooftop.  
  
Yue stretched out his wings. "You may use all of the Cards in your possession." He narrowed his eyes and raised a hand. "Now…try to defeat me." A glowing crystal formed in Yue's hand.  
  
Syaoran barely dodged the shards that flew past his face. He rolled aside, then leaped into the air. "Element: Lightning!" he shouted, sending a large bolt screaming from the blade of his sword.  
  
Yue only stood there as the lightning hit him. "You cannot defeat me without the aid of the Cards, and even those will not save you now."  
  
Syaoran drew a Card from his robe and struck the face of it. He charged at Yue, moving at inhuman speeds as he thrust his sword out.  
  
But to Yue, he might as well have been standing still. The Judge knocked Syaoran away with his wings, then formed the crystal in his hand again. "The Judgement…is over."  
  
The shards flew at Syaoran faster than before…much faster…almost as if The Dash itself were helping them. But by the time he'd realized what Yue had done, it was far too late.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The cry of pain was like a knife in Sakura's heart. "SYAORAN!" she cried, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.  
  
"Sakura," said a soft voice behind her.  
  
She spun around, only to find Syaoran standing there…just barely. His robe was torn, and his face was bloody. With a moan, he collapsed to the ground.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura ran to him and turned him over, resting his head in her lap. "Speak to me, Syaoran, please! Tell me you're okay!"  
  
Syaoran opened his eyes with great effort. "Run," he whispered. "Get out of here, Sakura. We…can't win. He's too…strong…" Syaoran closed his eyes and went limp.  
  
"No…Syaoran…" Sakura lowered her head and caressed his face, as if trying to will him to wake up.  
  
"It is time."  
  
She turned to see Yue above her, his eyes locked on hers. "Onii-chan…you can't do this!"  
  
"I am Yue, the Judge. You are the Card Captor chosen by Keroberos the Elector. Prepare yourself or the Judgement is over before it begins." His eyes began to glow.  
  
Sakura panicked as she began to float into the air. "Put me down!"  
  
"You must believe in your power, Sakura!" Keroberos called.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried.  
  
"Take care of Syaoran!" was the last thing Sakura shouted before she vanished.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Be warned, Sakura. I now have the Cards that Syaoran lost."  
  
"Are you telling me that because you care about me, onii-chan?"  
  
Yue glared at her. "I am not your brother, Sakura. I am Yue the Judge, and I'm only warning you so you know how truly hopeless your chances of defeating me are. The Judgment begins now." Yue raised his hand and formed a crystal. "You may use all of the Cards in your possession. Now…try to defeat me."  
  
"I won't fight you, onii-chan!" Sakura shouted. "I won't!"  
  
"Then you will lose," Yue said coldly as the first shard flew past her face.  
  
Sakura gasped as her cheek was sliced open. She could feel blood trickling down, and it soon mixed with her tears. "Onii-chan…" she whispered in disbelief.  
  
Yue said nothing as the shards continued to fly.  
  
Sakura turned and ran, whipping out the Fly Card. Within seconds, she was high in the air, going as fast as the Sealing Wand would allow.  
  
It wasn't fast enough.  
  
Sakura shrieked as Yue appeared beside her, easily keeping pace. With the same cold look in his eyes, he slammed into her, knocking her off the Wand.  
  
As Sakura fell, her mind raced, trying to come up with a way to call the Cards without the Wand. It was now firmly in Yue's grasp, and she imagined he wouldn't give it back.  
  
1 Why are you acting this way, onii-chan? You would never hurt me…not like this…  
  
Yue hovered in the air, not coming after her for some reason. Maybe he just wanted to see if the fall would finish her off. Or maybe he was coming to his senses and realizing how wrong it all was. He could never hurt his imouto.  
  
2 But…onii-chan wouldn't let me fall…would he? Please, onii-chan, don't do this! I need you, I'm scared, and I don't know what to do! Help me! Please!  
  
3  
  
4 Sakura realized with a start that she wasn't moving. In short, she wasn't falling. It was as if time had…stopped.  
  
5  
  
6 The Time Card! But Syaoran said that Yue took it…then… Oh, onii-chan! You really are in there! I'll bring you back, I promise!  
  
Sakura closed her eyes and stretched out her hands. "Hear my voice, Clow Cards. I am not your mistress, and I may never be. I am your friend, and as your friend, I make this sole request. Please, please, bring back my onii-chan. Please bring him back to me…"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Syaoran slowly opened his eyes. "Sakura…?" He tried to sit up.  
  
"Stay still, Syaoran-kun," Tomoyo said quietly, gently pushing him back down. "You're hurt badly."  
  
"Sakura…where is she?"  
  
Tomoyo's face fell. "Up there…with Yue."  
  
"Is she…?"  
  
"Yue has her Wand," Keroberos replied.  
  
"Oh no," Tomoyo whispered, tears falling down her face. "Sakura-chan…"  
  
Unable to do much else, Syaoran took her hands in his own, and hoped.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yue was not certain what had happened. One moment, Sakura had been far below him. The next, she was above him, gliding on wings of white. Somehow, she had managed to summon The Fly without the Wand.  
  
Very curious, that. But not enough to give her the victory.  
  
He flew at her, the shards flying from his right hand.  
  
Sakura didn't move, but the shards seemed to slide away from her at the last moment.  
  
The Shield.  
  
Yet he held the Wand, not her. This wasn't expected.  
  
Drawing on his own power, he broke through The Shield's defenses and grabbed her arm, already sensing victory.  
  
Sakura began to glow bright pink, and he could hear her muttering something.  
  
"…not to hurt him…"  
  
Suddenly, she threw herself at him, locking her arms around his waist.  
  
Yue gasped as the air was forced out of him. Eyes narrowed, he slammed two shards into her back, wincing as her scream assaulted his ears.  
  
And yet her grip didn't weaken.  
  
In fact, a bright blue was added to her pink aura, resulting in a strange violet color. Her strength seemed to double, and Yue could actually feel his bones cracking as she tightened her hold on him.  
  
He couldn't understand where she was getting the power from.  
  
Power…The Power. And The Fight.  
  
The Cards were helping her without the Wand.  
  
The idea was impossible…yet true.  
  
Drawing on The Dash's speed, Yue threw them both into the side of a nearby building, smiling when he heard something that was not his snap. But Sakura's grip never faltered in the least.  
  
"You cannot win, Sakura. You will never be Mistress of the Clow Cards!"  
  
"I just…want you, onii-chan," she whispered, blood spilling from her lips. "Only you…"  
  
Yue raised his hand, forming the crystal one last time. "The Judgment is over."  
  
Sakura screamed in frustration and tightened her grip again. "GIVE ME BACK MY ONII-CHAN!!!"  
  
For the second time that he could recall, Yue cried out in pain. The first was when Clow Reed had died. The Judge went limp as his mind processed its very last thought for a long time: his spinal cord had been snapped in two.  
  
Sakura buried her face in his chest, obviously not realizing the extent of the damage she had done. "Come back to me, onii-chan!" she sobbed. "Please!"  
  
"Sakura-chan," a voice whispered.  
  
She blinked and looked up to see Keroberos staring at her in horror. Somehow, they were back on the ground. "Did…you know he was Yue, Kero- chan? Please…I have to know."  
  
"No, Sakura-chan," Keroberos whispered, "but Yue…he's…not breathing…"  
  
Sakura's eyes widened as she looked down at the motionless body she still clutched in her arms. "Oh no…NO! ONII-CHAN!!!"  
  
"Sakura, shut up and take my hand," Syaoran grunted as he crawled over to her. "I think we can still save him."  
  
Sakura fell silent and grabbed his hand.  
  
Syaoran slowly sat up and placed his other hand on Yue's chest.  
  
"You'd better let me channel, Syaoran," Mizuki said, sitting next to him. "I have more experience in the area. Just give me the necessary magic energy."  
  
Syaoran frowned for a moment, but nodded.  
  
There was silence for a few endless moments before Mizuki finally announced, "It's not enough. We need more magic energy."  
  
Sakura's heart sank. "Onii-chan…"  
  
"Will be just fine," Keroberos said as he rested his head on her shoulder. "You can have mine, Mizuki-san."  
  
"Oh, Kero-chan," Sakura whispered, tears falling from her eyes. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and buried her face in his fur. "Arigato, Kero-chan."  
  
"Don't thank me yet, Sakura-chan," Keroberos replied, patting her shoulder with his paw.  
  
Ten minutes later, Yue slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"Welcome back, Yue-san," Mizuki whispered.  
  
"The Judgment," he grunted, trying to stand, "is…is…"  
  
"Don't." Small hands gently pushed him back down.  
  
Yue looked up to see Sakura staring at him.  
  
"You need to rest, Yue-san. And I…I need my onii-chan back. Please?"  
  
"You can always make your decision tomorrow," Keroberos said.  
  
Yue frowned, but closed his eyes. Instantly, his wings folded around his body, and he floated up into the air.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Touya slowly opened his eyes. "What…?"  
  
"Onii-chan!"  
  
Touya looked up as Sakura leaped into his arms, burying her face against his shoulder. "Imouto?"  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad you're safe, onii-chan," she murmured, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Sakura…what's wrong? Why are you crying?"  
  
"You were in an accident," said a voice.  
  
Touya looked up to see his father standing over them. "An accident, tousan?"  
  
"The doctor said you were very lucky," Mizuki added, coming to stand on the other side of the bed. "There were only a few bones broken in your arms and back."  
  
"You gave us quite a scare," Yukito said. "We weren't sure when you'd wake up."  
  
Touya stared at them all, not sure what to think. The last thing he remembered was holding Sakura in his arms. Where had she been during the accident?  
  
"You should eat something," Mizuki said after a moment. "To get your strength back."  
  
Touya realized that he was hungry…very hungry. Starving, in fact. When had he eaten last? He couldn't remember that, either. "None of that hospital junk. I want REAL food. Something from home."  
  
His father smiled. "I'll be right back."  
  
"I'll go, too," Yukito volunteered. He reached over and patted Touya's arm, smiling as usual. "Get some rest, To-ya. You're not as invincible as you might think."  
  
"I'd better get something for you, too," Mizuki said after they'd gone. "Do you still like steak, Touya-kun?"  
  
"Hai," Touya replied, not sure what to think of her, either. Seeing her after so long was quite strange. Absently, he wondered if she had come because she cared, or because his father might've contacted her.  
  
He realized Sakura was still clutching his neck. Her face was pressed into his shoulder, as if she were afraid to look at him. "Imouto," he said softly, reaching up to stroke her hair.  
  
She slowly raised her head. "Onii-chan?"  
  
"Was I really in an accident?"  
  
For a moment, Sakura didn't say anything. Then her lips trembled and she burst into tears again.  
  
Touya sighed and wiped her tears away with his hospital robe. "Imouto, onegai. I need to know what happened to me."  
  
"It…it was me," Sakura whispered, lowering her head. "I hurt you, onii- chan, and I'm so, so sorry…"  
  
He carefully raised her chin. "How did you hurt me, imouto?"  
  
Sakura hesitated. "You won't believe me."  
  
"Tell me, Sakura. You'd be surprised what I might believe."  
  
Slowly, Sakura told him everything. How she'd found the Clow Book in the basement. How she became a Card Captor. How she and Syaoran had been collecting Clow Cards. How they'd barely survived (himself included) the Final Judgment.  
  
"So that's why you can't look at me. You thought I'd be angry."  
  
Sakura looked at him in surprise. "You're…not?"  
  
He smirked. "Baka kaijuu. I knew you were bound to mess up big sooner or later. That's why it's my job to forgive you."  
  
"You…forgive me? But why?"  
  
"Because I know you're going to mess up again. And if I didn't forgive you every time you messed up, then I'd end up hating you, and I wouldn't be much of a big brother then, would I?"  
  
Sakura's eyes began to water. "Onii-chan…"  
  
"Don't start that again; they only gave me one robe and you've already drenched it."  
  
Sakura sniffled and hugged him tightly. "Arigato, onii-chan."  
  
"Just so you know, Sakura," Touya muttered into her hair. "The next time you break my back, I'm taking it out on the Chinese gaki you seem to like so much."  
  
"Onii-chan, he gave up energy to help save you!" she scolded. "Besides, I wouldn't have gotten this far without Syaoran and Tomoyo-chan."  
  
"And my back never would've suffered, either," Touya pointed out.  
  
"That's not FAIR! How was I supposed to know you were Yue-san?! YOU didn't even know!"  
  
"Well, I'm glad you told me. At least now I know how to scare the pants off the gaki…"  
  
"Onii-chan, you leave Syaoran alone!" Sakura glared at him. "You and Yue both!"  
  
"I can't control Yue," Touya reminded her, grinning like mad.  
  
"Oooooh! You're enjoying this!" she said accusingly.  
  
"Hai, I am. It's fun to see you squirm and blush when I mention the gaki."  
  
Sakura did turn red, but managed to keep from squirming.  
  
"So you do like him." Touya sighed. "Then I'll have to kill him slowly…"  
  
"You do and I'll beat you up again!" she threatened without thinking.  
  
He gasped in mock shock. "Choosing a gaki over your poor, injured onii- chan? Now I'll have to tell tousan that you've been sneaking out with him at night…"  
  
Sakura turned red again. "You wouldn't!"  
  
"No, I wouldn't," he admitted, patting her head affectionately. "But Daidouji's going to make copies of all those tapes…in triplicate. Just in case."  
  
Sakura frowned. "You are enjoying this."  
  
Touya grinned. "I'll bet Yuki thinks you're adorable, riding around on that little wand in those ridiculous costumes…"  
  
"Onii-chaaaaan!"  
  
  
  
End Note: Probably the only story I'll ever do where Yue was someone else. It seemed appropriate, since Touya's always making sinister eyes at people, and Yue is sinister (until Sakura tames him, ha ha!). Devoted Syaoran fans will like the next one.  
  
Next Story: The roles are reversed as Syaoran takes Sakura's place…literally. But what does the strange world of Card Captor Syaoran have in store for our befuddled hero? You wouldn't believe me if I told you… (just wait until you see the love rectangles!) 


	2. Card Captor Syaoran

Author's Note: My first attempt at blatant (but good-natured) Syaoran abuse. The important thing to realize is that Syaoran literally replaces Sakura here, and vice versa. That means Syaoran is Master of the Cards, has a big brother named Touya, and is best friends with Tomoyo. Sakura, on the other hand, has an annoying cousin that always follows her around… Plenty of twists in store for any CCS fan. Enjoy.  
  
Summary: Ever wonder what CCS might be like if the S stood for Syaoran?  
  
  
  
If Things Were Different  
  
Story 2: Card Captor Syaoran  
  
  
  
Syaoran decided that he was in trouble. Big trouble. With a capital T. And not T as in trouble. T as in Tomoyo.  
  
Anyone else might think it strange, but they probably had normal friends, normal days, and a normal life to boot.  
  
Currently, Tomoyo was across the soccer field, talking to Chiharu. He was safe…for now.  
  
But Tomoyo-chan was dangerous. Extremely so.  
  
Syaoran was sure she had everyone else fooled, with her "I'm-so-popular, I'm-so-rich" act (although being rich isn't really an act), but not him. Oh, no. He saw right through her charade.  
  
She was evil. But not in the way one might think. It was her mind that was evil, and that was the worse part about it. Tomoyo was brilliant, really, and she could do anything that she took the time to focus on. This was why he was in so much trouble at that point.  
  
She had decided to focus on him.  
  
Syaoran knew he should've seen it coming, of course. They had been best friends for as long as he could remember. The pale flower and the little wolf. The maiden and the magician.  
  
He was foolish enough to hope she would continue to see him as Syaoran Li, marginally cute boy and confidante.  
  
But no. Her evil mind has now joined forces with the most feared thing on the planet: female hormones. Now, he was nothing more than meat. Fresh meat. At half price, too.  
  
He suddenly realized that Chiharu was alone, just as he heard a quiet voice in his ear.  
  
"Were you hiding from me again, Syaoran-kun?"  
  
Never mind that he was on the highest tree branch. When she got so athletic and stealthy, Syaoran would never know.  
  
"Of course not, Daidouji-san," he replied, knowing better than to make eye contact.  
  
"No, no, no," she scolded playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We've been friends too long for that, Syaoran-kun."  
  
He sighed. "Gomen, Tomoyo-chan." He hated it when she made him call her that.  
  
"So why are you hiding up here, hmm? Were you hoping I would find you? Hoping to spend some time with me…alone?"  
  
They were now on dangerous territory. The trick was to find a way to slip from Tomoyo's grasp without hurting her feelings. Yes, she was to be feared, but she was still his best friend.  
  
"I came here to think, Tomoyo-chan."  
  
"About me?" she asked hopefully, resting her chin on his shoulder.  
  
It was nearly impossible to ignore the way her warm cheek felt against his, the way her silky hair brushed his neck, or the way she smelled so much like vanilla. Thankfully, he'd had a lot of practice.  
  
"About the Clow Cards," Syaoran replied, reaching up to squeeze her arm. It was probably the only thing that kept her embrace from turning into a chokehold.  
  
"Oh." She was clearly disappointed, and he would most likely have to make up for it by taking her to the ice cream shop. A small price to pay for chocolate malt, but well worth it to keep Tomoyo happy (and at bay).  
  
"Will a trip to the ice cream shop after school wipe that frown off your face, Tomoyo-chan?" It was vital to say after school, or else he'd be dragged off immediately.  
  
He could almost sense her smiling. "Only if you buy me a sundae." He was just thankful she didn't want to share straws again.  
  
"Hai, that's fine."  
  
She suppressed a squeal of delight just as the bell rang for recess to end.  
  
"We'd better get back inside, Tomoyo-chan. Mizuki-sensei will miss us."  
  
"Oh, all right." She squeezed his neck and brushed his cheek with her lips. "Bai, Syaoran-kun."  
  
He waited until she was safely on the ground before letting out the deep breath he'd been holding. Keeping Tomoyo happy was hard work.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tomoyo latched onto Syaoran like a hungry leech the instant class ended, reminding him of his promise. Doing his best to ignore the whispers and grins from our classmates, Syaoran led her outside. They had just reached the front gate when someone hissed at them.  
  
"Psst! Tomoyo-chan!"  
  
Not surprisingly, it was Sakura's head that popped out from behind the bushes. She was almost always hiding, and with good reason.  
  
"Ohaiyo, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo replied with a bright smile.  
  
"Have you seen Meiling?" she asked, her eyes widening with worry.  
  
Tomoyo smiled reassuringly. "Not since this morning. I think you're safe."  
  
Sakura sighed and emerged from the bushes. "She chased me all the way to school."  
  
"Well, you were running away," Syaoran pointed out with a friendly smile.  
  
Sakura blushed a bit. "Hai, but…Meiling's so clingy…"  
  
That was a HUGE understatement, because Sakura was too nice to admit the truth. Tomoyo was clingy. Meiling was absolutely obsessed. And if she weren't Sakura's cousin, Syaoran would've banished her to the nearest girl's restroom with The Lock.  
  
"Poor Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said sympathetically, patting her arm. "You should come with us." She brightened instantly. "Syaoran's buying ice cream."  
  
"Only if it's no trouble," Sakura murmurs quickly, looking from Tomoyo to him. She was polite to a fault, especially around them. Syaoran found it almost…adorable.  
  
"Of course not," Tomoyo answered before Syaoran could get his mouth open. "Besides, Syaoran LIKES buying ice cream for his two favorite girls. Don't you, Syaoran-kun?"  
  
The only consolation Syaoran could see in failing to hide his blush was that Sakura turned just as red at the same time. "Hai, Tomoyo-chan," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"There, see? You're coming with us." Tomoyo looped her other arm around Sakura's, officially adding her to the group. Syaoran had never known Tomoyo to release an arm until she'd had her way with whoever was on the other end of it.  
  
Sakura smiled. "Arigato, Tomoyo-chan." Although she was looking directly at Syaoran when she said it, probably since he was the one paying.  
  
Unfortunately, they didn't get far before encountering Meiling.  
  
You couldn't simply just MEET Meiling, of course; you ALWAYS had to encounter her, because she left you no other choice. She didn't walk or run to meet people, she SWOOPED down upon them with the force of a runaway locomotive. Usually, Syaoran served as her impact point. She didn't care for him too much.  
  
Just as they caught sight of the ice cream shop, there was a warning shriek, and then Syaoran found himself flattened against the sidewalk with something on his back. No matter how many times he heard the shriek, he'd never been fast enough to avoid Meiling.  
  
"THERE you are, Sakura-chan!" a shrill voice announced to the entire block. "I FOUND you!"  
  
"M-Meiling-chan," Sakura stammered. This was instantly followed by a gasping sound, which was the air leaving Sakura's lungs, mainly because it had all been forced out by the power of Meiling's treacherous clutches.  
  
"Are you okay, Syaoran-kun?" Tomoyo asked, helping him up. She was powerless to stop Meiling (as was everyone), but she was good for picking him up afterwards.  
  
"Hai, Tomoyo-chan," he muttered, ignoring the pain in his back.  
  
When his vision cleared, Syaoran could see Meiling had once again attached herself to Sakura's neck. Sakura had her usual "save me, please!" look on, and Meiling was positively beaming…until she spotted him looking at them.  
  
Quite suddenly, Syaoran's field of vision was filled with nothing but Meiling's fierce eyes. "WHY were you with my Sakura-chan?!"  
  
It would, of course, have been pointless to point out that Sakura was not hers, but that she had actually been promised to a boy in Hong Kong. That boy, however, had not been seen since Meiling visited him, or so the rumor went…  
  
"We were going to get ice cream," Tomoyo explained, looping her arm around Syaoran's waist. "And we WERE going to invite you, Meiling-chan, but we couldn't find you…"  
  
They all knew this was because Meiling spent most of her time hiding in trees and dark alleys, thinking up new ways to sneak up on them and scare Sakura half to death.  
  
"Well, you didn't LOOK very hard, did you?!"  
  
"I'm sure Syaoran wouldn't mind getting you ice cream, too, Meiling-chan," Sakura whispered.  
  
Meiling finally backed off and returned to Sakura's neck. "Fine. But DON'T think I'm not watching you, Li. BECAUSE I AM." Meiling was completely convinced that Syaoran had secret plans to kidnap Sakura and take her Far Away, so that he could do Vile and Nasty Things to her. There was no truth to that, of course. Although he would admit to being fond of Sakura (it was impossible not to be, considering how pitiful she looked next to Meiling), just fending off Tomoyo was a full time job.  
  
They finally made it into the ice cream shop, where Syaoran was forced to order two ice cream sundaes for his "two favorite girls" and one huge banana split for a girl he didn't like at all. Since Meiling was eating enough for two people, he decided not to order anything for himself. While waiting for their food to arrive, Syaoran wondered if the situation could get any worse.  
  
It did, of course.  
  
Their waiter turned out to be Touya, his big brother.  
  
"Hey, kaijuu," he said loudly to get Syaoran's attention. "Which of these girls is your date?"  
  
Tomoyo grinned, Sakura went red in the face, and so did Meiling, but for an entirely different reason.  
  
Thankfully, Touya decided not to tease his little brother anymore, but worked on the others instead. He greeted the girls in his usual manner: Tomoyo ("Hey, Daidouji"), Sakura ("Hey, gaki"), and even Meiling ("Hey, yasha"). It wasn't that Touya didn't like Sakura, but he thought that anyone related to Meiling deserved to be punished.  
  
Meiling glared at him. "I am NOT a yasha!"  
  
"Sure you are," Touya replied. "You're draining all the life out of the gaki, so you have to be some kind of succubus."  
  
Syaoran failed to cover up his snicker, and Tomoyo smiled behind her hand.  
  
Meiling started to get out of her seat when the situation got even worse.  
  
"I don't suppose there's room for us?" a voice asked politely.  
  
Naturally, it was Eriol and Nakuru. Touya hurried away before Nakuru could get her hands on him, but she went running after him, anyway.  
  
Tomoyo all but ordered Syaoran to make room for Eriol. Though why sneakier half of Clow Reed's reincarnation had to sit next to HIM was totally beyond him. Syaoran was really afraid that Eriol might be gay and that he was just trying to find the perfect moment to get him alone and say so.  
  
The only good thing was that Eriol paid for his own drink. The bad being that twice Syaoran caught Eriol's fingers edging towards his shoulder and once he found Eriol's hand VERY close to his leg. Syaoran thought about asking Tomoyo to switch seats with him, but that would've just put him next to Sakura and given Meiling an excuse to attack again. Besides, Syaoran wasn't entirely sure he wanted Tomoyo next to Eriol, either.  
  
Strangely enough, Syaoran's escape route came in the form of Nakuru, who reappeared a short time later, apparently satisfied with whatever she'd done to Touya. Syaoran, however, was still up for grabs.  
  
"SYAORAN!" Nakuru shouted as she came over. "Where's my hug?!"  
  
The thing one had to understand about Nakuru was that she thrived on affection, particularly from what she considered to be incredibly cute boys. Touya was nothing short of a god in her eyes, which put Syaoran at demi-god…but not out of her reach.  
  
Syaoran tried to point out that Eriol was in the way, but when it came to her and a cute boy, Nakuru simply didn't see people; she saw stepping stones that had to be overcome. And though Syaoran had to admit it was hilarious to see Eriol get shoved aside, that put him directly in Nakuru's path of destruction.  
  
While trapped in Nakuru's embrace, he managed to pull The Dash out of his jacket. Once she let go, he summon his sword beneath the table and hoped Eriol didn't ruin everything.  
  
A few seconds later, Syaoran was two blocks away from the ice cream shop.  
  
Without any sort of warning, Eriol appeared with Nakuru. Syaoran noticed that Sakura and Tomoyo were tucked under her arms.  
  
"You forgot your companions," Eriol chided, a "shame-on-you, Syaoran" look on his face. He knew Syaoran hated that look, and probably knew that Syaoran hated him, too. "You should be more careful with your friends, and your Cards."  
  
"I wouldn't have tried to escape if YOU hadn't shown up! Just stay away from me!"  
  
Eriol smiled eerily (but then, he did everything that way) and faded away with Nakuru. "As you wish."  
  
Tomoyo and Sakura instantly blinked and shook their heads. "What happened?" they both asked at once.  
  
"Nothing unusual…for us," Syaoran answered with a sigh.  
  
* * * * *  
  
After they saw Sakura home safely (Meiling was still loose, after all), Tomoyo invited herself to sleep over at Syaoran's house. He couldn't really refuse, since she had figured out that he tried to leave her at the ice cream shop.  
  
They were attacked by Kero-chan the instant they entered Syaoran's room. He was hungry, of course, and only after seven helpings of rice pudding did he fall asleep. Tomoyo wasn't hungry, and neither was Syaoran (he often lost his appetite after being close to Eriol), so they both went to bed. Well, they both lay down and stared up at the ceiling. Neither of them felt like sleeping.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, what do you think of Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked suddenly.  
  
He had no idea where THAT came from, so he played dumb. "What about her?"  
  
"What do you think of her?"  
  
"I'm…not sure I know what you mean, Tomoyo-chan."  
  
"Do you LIKE her?"  
  
"Of course I do. Don't you?"  
  
"Hai, of course," she said quickly. Maybe too quickly? "But I was wondering how you feel about her."  
  
"Well…I trust her," Syaoran said slowly. "She did help me become the Clow Master, whether she meant to or not. Is that what you meant?"  
  
"Not really, no." Tomoyo was silent for a moment. "If she asked you…would you go out with her?"  
  
He could feel his face burning as he answered. "Why would she do something like that?"  
  
"Don't be stupid, Syaoran-kun. She adores you."  
  
An alarm went off in his head, and Syaoran sat up in bed. "What?! Who told you that?!"  
  
Tomoyo made an exasperated little noise. "SHE did. Answer the question."  
  
"Well…you know how Sakura-chan is, Tomoyo. You can't just say no to her…" He waited for the explosion, and the large amount of pain, but they never came.  
  
"Hai, I know," she whispered softly.  
  
The alarm went off in his head again. "What?! What do YOU know?!"  
  
"Nothing!" Tomoyo said much too quickly.  
  
"You're hiding something, Tomoyo-chan. Did Sakura say something to you?"  
  
"No. I was just thinking."  
  
"About?"  
  
"Us," she finally replied.  
  
"You and me?"  
  
"And Sakura," she muttered.  
  
Suddenly, Syaoran felt his brain go crashing into his stomach. "Tomoyo…you can't mean… what I think you mean…can you?"  
  
"I couldn't help it," Tomoyo murmured. "One day I just looked up and noticed how beautiful she was…"  
  
Syaoran found himself not being able to argue. "Well…I hope you two will be very happy together."  
  
Tomoyo threw herself at him. "Iie, Syaoran! I still want you, too!"  
  
"What?! But--!" he sputtered, the alarm ringing louder than ever in his head.  
  
"We can all be together!"  
  
The alarm simply gave up at this point and promptly exploded. "Tomoyo, THINK about what you're saying! Sakura would NEVER-"  
  
"She said she's interested," Tomoyo muttered, blushing.  
  
Syaoran stared at what he was starting to consider his former best friend in disbelief. "You ASKED her already?!"  
  
"Yes! I didn't want to scare her off, so I had to explain-"  
  
"And she said YES?!"  
  
Tomoyo blushed again. "She told me how confused she's been, being attracted to the both of us and being too scared to say anything. I felt bad for her."  
  
"I'm sure you did," Syaoran muttered. "So bad that you just had to CONSOLE her, right?!"  
  
Tomoyo smiled slightly. "Well…"  
  
"Tomoyo-chan!" he cried. "You didn't!"  
  
"Not really! It was just a hug and a peck on the cheek, nothing more."  
  
"And now she wants both of us…not unlike you."  
  
Tomoyo grinned at him. "Oh, don't play dumb, Syaoran-kun. I dare you to tell me you don't find us both attractive."  
  
He started to argue, then realized it was indeed pointless. Tomoyo knew him too well, and she could tell when he was lying. "So what if I am?" he said at last. "Just because we're all interested in each other doesn't mean it'll work!"  
  
"You underestimate my matchmaking abilities, Syaoran-kun," Tomoyo purred silkily. He didn't like the look she was giving him. It made her look so much older and even more…desirable…  
  
Syaoran shook his head. "Tomoyo-chan, you HAVE to rethink this! If Touya ever found out-"  
  
"Nakuru and Yukito have already agreed to keep him busy."  
  
Syaoran could barely believe his ears. Nakuru, he could understand. SHE was Eriol's. But Yukito—Yue! His OWN Guardian had agreed to Tomoyo's little plot without so much as informing Syaoran. A new thought suddenly wormed its way into his head, and it was even worse.  
  
It was true that Tomoyo had no magic…but what kind of inner sinister power must she have had to wield in order to bring Yue under her spell?  
  
Probably the very same, Syaoran reasoned, she'd used to get HIM under her spell. The Clow Master. Supposedly the world's second (or third, if you counted Eriol, which he didn't) greatest magician.  
  
Still, he had to attempt to be upset. It was only natural.  
  
"This will never work, Tomoyo-chan," he insisted.  
  
Tomoyo smiled at him, licking her lips suggestively, as if he was a frightened mouse and she was a very hungry cat (never mind that he WAS frightened and neither of them had eaten dinner). "If that's what gets you through the night, Syaoran-kun, you continue to believe it. Just as long as you know that you WILL be ours." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, lingering there so her vanilla-scent could invade his nostrils one last time, and then pulled away, returning to her own bed.  
  
Syaoran found it impossible to go back to sleep then. Anyway, Yue's "betrayal" was still bothering him. They had never really seen eye-to-eye, of course. Yue would protect Syaoran with his dying breath, but he didn't necessarily have to like that fact, and so he didn't.  
  
Finally, Syaoran slipped from his bed and went over to the window.  
  
A few moments later, Yue floated into view. "You called?"  
  
"You didn't tell me," Syaoran spat.  
  
"No, I didn't," Yue replied, staring into his eyes. "Was I supposed to?"  
  
"I would've appreciated it!" Syaoran whispered fiercely.  
  
"Too bad," Yue replied, looking bored.  
  
Syaoran glared at him. "You don't care, as long as you get onii-san, do you?"  
  
"Of course I do," Yue snapped. "I HAVE to care. It's my duty."  
  
"Are you saying you did this BECAUSE YOU CARE?!"  
  
"I did this," Yue replied, "for your own good…Syaoran-sama."  
  
THAT caught Syaoran off guard. Yue had never called him that before, and despite the acidic tone his voice had taken, Syaoran knew he meant it.  
  
"Daidouji has no magic," Yue went on, "but you need her just as much as you need Kinomoto. Maybe more."  
  
"How do YOU know?"  
  
"Because I had the benefit of being handled by a capable Master once," Yue answered, a cruel smile forming on his lips. "And I would hardly be a very good Guardian if I didn't know when to guard you…and when not to."  
  
Syaoran's throat was terribly dry. He didn't dare speak, for fear of his mouth turning to dust.  
  
"Of course, if you still want to try to get out of your predicament, there IS one sure-fire way…" As he said this, Yue reached through the window and placed his hand on Syaoran's cheek in a gentle caress.  
  
In that moment, Syaoran realized that Yue looked frighteningly like Eriol would've, had he done the same thing. And then he gasped, backing away from Yue in a hurry.  
  
Yue continued to smile in a non-pleasant manner. "Well, it would work. Just so you know."  
  
Syaoran was enormously glad Yue hadn't put the offer into words. "Then…this is my destiny?"  
  
"No, Syaoran-sama. This…is your life. Welcome to it." With that, Yue turned and flew off into the night.  
  
Syaoran sighed and went back to bed. He would worry about Tomoyo…and Sakura…and Yue…and, of course, Eriol…tomorrow. He didn't have nearly as much trouble falling asleep this time.  
  
Although the image of Tomoyo and Sakura arguing over who got to kiss him goodnight first helped considerably…  
  
The End. 


End file.
